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Honda ST1300 or Yamaha FJR 1300

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King_O_Road

King_O_Road

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Location
Leander,Texas
First Name
Van "Shiloh"
Last Name
Rowe
Honda ST1300 or Yamaha FJR 1300:

Ok so the time is getting closer and closer, (about Christmas time) I will be getting a new bike (or at least new to me) (it could be used)

So here is the thing... I know I want a Sport Touring bike, and Have narrowed down to the Honda ST1300 or Yamaha FJR 1300.

Which would be the better of the two? Now I am talking about daily riding, and hill country trips. I am not looking to go 125 mph on a track day...

The price seems to be about the same for either bike, I like the idea of the auto shift on the FJR, and the more sport-look, but does it loose anything in the comfort or long range ride (stock for both)

What about service in the Austin area? And "Farkle-bility" :rider:
What after market stuff is a must for either bike?

What about new vs used... is there anything to be leary of in getting one of these bikes used?? Them seem hard to find used, so that tells me people keep them. And if I find one used, does that mean it has been abused?
How many miles should I be looking at as a wore out point for a bike like this?

I know they meant to ride, so I figure that if I do go used they will be higher mileage than a sport bike.

Also is trading in an 82 Honda CB900F SuperSport, a good idea. Or should I go for the outright sale of it. I figure it is worth around the 2k mark.
And I can only keep one bike in garage....
 
I preferred the seating position of the ST13 vs the FJR. This is strictly a personal preference.

The ST is more on the touring side, and the FJR is more on the sport side.
I don't think there's a serious flaw on either of the bikes, so pick whichever makes you happy. :rider:
 
I prefer the FJR but one thing to look out for if you like to use a bunch of electronics/lights/heated anything is that the FJR alternator is on the weak side and can't handle as much as some other bikes.

I haven't ridden the ST so I won't comment of comfort even though the FJR is comfy for long distances.

Look out for the ticking FJR. The ticking is supposed to be covered by Yamaha but you don't want to inherit a problem engine. I understand that the issue is actually a small % of all the bikes but it is a serious one.

'06 and later FJR's really fixed the heat issue and are slightly redesigned.
 
Don't know the timing issues, but I gotta tell you there is a seriously-farkled '05 FJR at Longview Cycle and Ski that can be had for about $8500. And I really NEED sosmebody to buy that bike and move it away from me 'cuz I don't need two bikes!
 
BUWAAAAHAAA :eek2:

I am biased here since I had a ST1300 and I'm a moderator on ST-Owners.com :rofl:

The ST comes with a 3 year unlimited mileage warranty standard, FJR one year. Farkles galore for the ST... Highway Wings, Crash bars for the bags, McCruise cruise control... racks... light mounts... yada yada yada.

Drop a ST, $20 to replace the plastic wing cover... FJR, don't even want to know how much to replace the plastic :eek2:

I rode my 05 everyday in Houston area traffic... 24k in ~18 months... it's heavier than the FJR, but the weight disappears under way ;-) It has a 7.6 gallon tank... 300+ miles cruising range :clap:

The FJR does look alot better without bags than the ST... it has a few more ponies... it's riding position is more sporty than the ST... and it's more cramped for two up riding.

You may want to checkout www.st-owners.com for used bikes... we even have a comparison section for these two bikes for this type of question.
 
sherob said:
I rode my 05 everyday in Houston area traffic... 24k in ~18 months... it's heavier than the FJR, but the weight disappears under way ;-) It has a 7.6 gallon tank... 300+ miles cruising range :clap:
Click to expand...

I didn't realize how heavy the FJR felt until I road the BMW RT (1200) which feels 100 lbs lighter because of the weight distribution. The big tank is nice to have. I went on a group ride recently and never filled up the RT once and had 100 miles of range to spare at the end of the ride.
 
mjacks said:
I didn't realize how heavy the FJR felt until I road the BMW RT (1200) which feels 100 lbs lighter because of the weight distribution. The big tank is nice to have. I went on a group ride recently and never filled up the RT once and had 100 miles of range to spare at the end of the ride.
Click to expand...

The RT is a sweet bike... big time LD ride :trust: I just couldn't justify the money... oh, wait... I bought a Wing :lol2:
 
You can't go wrong with either bike, it will really just come down to which bike "fits" you best, and whether one bike suits your riding needs better than the other.

You mentioned the electronic clutch on the FJR ... if that's something that appeals to you, that'd be a pro to the FJR side of the equation. The ST doesn't have that option at all.

Outside of that, either bike can be set up relatively the same. The ST has a few things that come standard that the FJR doesn't, but the price delta when new pretty well accounts for those differences. There's nothing you can't add to either bike if you've got the time and money.

You did mention a couple points that struck me into posting a reply.

First being service ... while reliability was pretty good (only minor issues with my ST), I had a heck of a time finding local Honda dealers who knew what the ST was and could work on it adequately. I'm not overly familiar with the dealers down near Austin, but haven't heard too many good things about either the Honda or Yamaha shops down there. YMMV.

On the resell market ... the main reason they're hard to find is that they just don't sell all that many in the US, compared to other models. With Yamaha doing essentially a built to order model on the previous FJRs, and Honda trying to push potential ST buyers up to the GoldWing, there just aren't alot floating around, but the market they address does like to farkle/accessorize, so there are plenty of options for either bike ... with a slight nod towards the FJR.

The ST is one heavy girl, but there are benefits to that ... as well as cons. Again, just depends on what kind of riding you want to do. The ST handles VERY well in the West Texas crosswinds, as the weight helps her plow her line. The FJR seemed to be a little more upset by strong winds. The ST gets some cornering agility through a rather aggressive steering geometry. There's been speculation around high speed stability, particularly with the European police forces. I attribute that more to the geometry and tire sizes used, but still, you're trying to make a 740 pound bike dance like a reasonable sportbike ... that's alot of weight to have to shift quickly. I didn't have problems with stability at speed, but can see how the stock windscreen, stock tires, and rider preference could give someone that impression.

The FJR is lacking in power output since it has an alternator more aligned with sportbike needs, but there are some simple mods you can do to maximize available power if necessary. Again, just a time/money thing if that's the bike that suits you best.

My suggestion is to ride both if at all possible. There are plenty of STs and FJRs down around Austin, you shouldn't have too hard a time finding someone who will let you take one for a spin. Figure out what's most important to you about the ride, and then plot it out from there.

I left the ST1300 camp due primarily to two things ... the weight of the ST, and the lack of a reputable shop to service that bike. The ST did everything else I needed better than the FJR, for my needs, ... but the BMW so far is doing everything best for me.
 
I'm a little biased since I own and really, really like my '05 FJR. The FJR is easier to work on for routine maintenance than the FJR.

I suggest you check out www.fjrforum.com and www.st-owners.com for comments from others.

Based upon being a member of both of those forums it appears more people have switched to an FJR from a ST than vice versus.

Both are great rides - check them both out and see which one fits you best.
 
I'm interested in the CB900F. Send me a PM and we can start working out the details.
 
I rode both in '05. At the time, the FJR added more heat to an already hot Texas day. One person here said they fixed that. It is heavy but more sport oriented than the ST, only slightly. The windscreen does a great job and the bags are more than adaquate and will easily consume a XL helmet. Powerful engine for playing.

The ST is heavier but caries it's weight well. Blocks tons of wind but doesn't lean as well as the FJR. Service may be a problem at some dealers as noted before. They're used to working on I-4s, flat 6s and singles. Good grunt for climbing but not a revver. Comfy all day.

I haven't seen or heard anything that says these bike are not reliable.

There's a used ST1300 at Lunford Honda in N. Houston. I was looking at a 999R so I didn't pay much attention to it though.
 
I don't know about ST vs FJR specifically, but my .02 the shaft is enough to make the decision for me. I do like the looks of the FJR but all things considered the ST has the V4 water cooled shaft drive engine. Add to that the fuel injection (don't know if the FJR does or not) to smooth out the V4 power and it's just an irresistable package to me.

Add to that the fact that you can add a pair of Avon radials to the ST and have a corner carving beast how can you lose?
 
I own an 03 abs st1300 and love the bike, it does everything I ask it to do with ease. I also hold the fjr is sportier and lighter. The fjr is even quicker. It all depends on what you want to do with the bike. The ST leans more on the T touring side than it does the sporty side. Both are great bikes and it all breaks down to what are you going to ask it to do and which machine fits you better. I do almost 1/2 of my riding 2 up and the ST does it with ease. My friends who have fjrs wouldnt trade them for a honda st at all. So there are ppl in both camps. My riding is much more touring type these days and the capabilities of the heavy st still do what I ask of it. I honestly dont see how you could go wrong with either bike. I like hondas and it is a smooth motor, so that was my choice. Hope whatever you buy gives you the joy my ST brings to my house.
 
Lord forgive me for this...jack has the ST1300 dual sport model! He did ok in the dirt today!:trust: :rofl: :rofl:
 
Back in '04 I decided I wanted a sport tourer and I had my mind made up to get an FJR but could not even find one anywhere to look at much less sit on. You had to order one and wait 4 months. Went over to the Honda shop an sat on a ST and liked the feel. Went ahead and bought it and was glad I did. Never regretted my decision after the first long ride. I'm sure the FJR's are great bikes but I'm a happy camper with my ST. Good luck on you decision.
 
84SabreRider said:
I don't know about ST vs FJR specifically, but my .02 the shaft is enough to make the decision for me. I do like the looks of the FJR but all things considered the ST has the V4 water cooled shaft drive engine. Add to that the fuel injection (don't know if the FJR does or not) to smooth out the V4 power and it's just an irresistable package to me.

Add to that the fact that you can add a pair of Avon radials to the ST and have a corner carving beast how can you lose?
Click to expand...
Bob, I could be quite wrong, but I believe the FJR is shaft drive, water cooled, Fuel injected.

I can speak on the ST's cornering ability! the chicken strips are about half the size of those on my VFR :rider:
Smooth, fast, very predictable.

Oh yeah, the ST's peg/bar relationship is great for standing up on the bumpy un-paved roads :trust:
 
tx-vfr said:
Bob, I could be quite wrong, but I believe the FJR is shaft drive, water cooled, Fuel injected.

I can speak on the ST's cornering ability! the chicken strips are about half the size of those on my VFR :rider:
Smooth, fast, very predictable.

Oh yeah, the ST's peg/bar relationship is great for standing up on the bumpy un-paved roads :trust:
Click to expand...

The FJR is fuel injected, water cooled and has a shaft. ;-)
 
The FJR is fuel injected, water cooled and has a shaft - and as an added bonus, weighs 75 pounds less than an ST.

Both good bikes though and you can do "spirited" touring on either.
 
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